Crystal Palace Women Secure Win in the Promotion Chase

Crystal Palace Women Secure Win in the Promotion Chase
Durham goal celebrations after Hannah Blake 10 Durham scored the opening goal Photo by Clare OverfieldSPP

Crystal Palace Women closed in on securing a Barclays WSL 2 top-three finish, while Newcastle United grabbed a late equaliser to keep their hopes of doing likewise alive.

Barclays WSL 2
Durham 2-2 Bristol City
Crystal Palace 1-0 Ipswich Town
Newcastle United 1-1 Nottingham Forest

Crystal Palace edged past Ipswich Town with a single goal to halve the gap to the automatic promotion places and move closer to securing a play-off spot.

Kirsty Howat scored the only goal of the game from an Ashleigh Weerden corner in the 16th minute.

The result left Ipswich a goal above bottom-of-the-table Portsmouth, over whom they have a game in hand.

Newcastle United just kept alive their hopes of finishing third with a stoppage-time reply against Nottingham Forest, who can no longer make the top three.

Alana Murphy put Forest ahead, but in the first of 10 minutes of added-on time at the end of the second half, Jordan Nobbs equalised with a strike from outside the box.

Durham helped end Bristol City’s promotion hopes and pick up a precious point themselves with a very late leveller.

Lucy Watson found Hannah Blake in space on the edge of the six-yard box to calmly give Durham an early lead.

Gemma Lawley headed Bristol level from an Emily Syme corner later in the first half, with Syme adding a second assist from a flag kick as Mari Ward completed the turnaround before the hour mark.

Durham denied City victory in stoppage time after Lexi Lloyd-Smith gave away a penalty with her foul on Sarah Robson, and Beth Hepple converted from the spot.

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Wilf Frith
Wilf Frith is a women’s football news editor who works for Her Goal Magazine and had been with all its predecessors since 1996, becoming a founding team member after running Sunday Kicks. He has also held previous long-term roles as press officer for the Cornwall Women’s Football League and Penzance Ladies FC.
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